Bob Hattoy Has Passed

From Sean Strub

I just spoke with Bob Pelham, Bob Hattoy's close friend, and he asked me to share the sad news that Bob Hattoy died last night, March 3, in Sacramento.

Bob had been hospitalized for a couple of weeks with PCP, but had recently returned home from the hospital. The cause of death hasn't been determined, but Bob Pelham said they think it was cardiac arrest.

It is difficult to overstate the importance of Bob Hattoy to people with AIDS and the AIDS activist movement, let alone the other movements in which he was active. When Bob spoke at the 1992 Democratic Convention with courage and conviction as a person with AIDS--and famously a friend of the Clintons--he galvanized the community and gave hope that our voice was going to be heard at the highest levels. Bob's integrity never wavered; he was thoroughly an activist, one who devoted his life to progressive social change. He was a friend and mentor who will be greatly missed.

Per Bob Hattoy's wishes, he will be cremated and there will be no memorial service. He left instructions requesting that celebrations of his life be held in the four cities he considered homes: Los Angeles, San Francisco, Washington and New York.

I'll be writing something about Bob for POZ and I would be interested in any stories you have that you could share. He was one of the greats of our movement and we ought honor his memory and legacy appropriately.

A detailed obituary will be forthcoming soon; for questions or information about the planned celebrations of Bob's life, please contact Bob Pelham at dishesbob@yahoo.com.